The Tragedy of Alcyone and Ceyx

(Act 1)

(scene 1)

Alcyone at loom in chamber in Thessaly

Enter Ceyx

Ceyx

Alcyone! 

Alcyone

Here, my lord.

Ceyx

My love, I have come to bid thee farewell, for on the morrow I shall depart upon a quest to seek absolution of the burdens which plague me so. 

Alcyone

Prithee tell what form this absolution takes.

Ceyx 

Tis the oracle across the sea to whom I must journey. For there I shall vouchsafe the resolution to my tribulations.

                                               Alcyone Approaches Ceyx

Alcyone 

My lord I beseech you to rethink this course.

Ceyx

Alcyone, ho! What cause have you for such trepidation? Do you not believe mine to be a noble quest?

Alcyone

Tis not the aspiration of thine journey that causes such distress moreover it is the journey itself. You must trust that I know as few others are able, the power of the winds upon the sea. I have seen them dear husband, witnessed as I dwelt in my father's palace; their stormy meetings, the black clouds they summoned the wild red lightning. Many a time upon the beach, I have seen the broken planks of ships tossed up. Oh! Do not go. But if I cannot persuade you, at least take me with you. I can endure whatever comes to us together. 

Ceyx

Good Alcyone, your love for me is no greater than mine for my wife. I fear however my purpose has taken to root in my being, its branches stirring waves of turmoil into my consciouses that cannot be felled until my quest has come complete. I insist that you allow me to place at rest these tumultuous bearings. Now for the matter of thine companionship, while I am honored you would seek to comfort me on my journey I would be of foul character if I were to subject you to the perils resultant of the voyage. I pray you find my rationales of some comportment. Have I my wife’s leave? 

Alcyone

Hath, my lord. Yet not so without trepidation, nonetheless I yield.  

Ceyx

Then verily be, upon the cock's crow and the concordance of the sea I shall depart. 

Ceyx and Alcyone exit.

(scene 2)

A clear day with the sounds of gulls cawing and waves crashing

Alcyone and Ceyx enter to stand upon dock

Ceyx

Take heart dear wife for the sun has thawed your trepidations with its unrelenting light. Allow your woes to resolve into dew and find rest among the morning mists. I prithee grant me this boon upon my departure forthcoming that you cast off the clouds that hang upon you. So that I might look upon clear skies on my shore well as the horizon.

Alcyone 

I wish to grant you this boon my lord, yet I fear that in my attempt to do so the clouds fell from my brow and settled in my chest. Leaving with them the heavy weight of the rain they carry. A weight that I shall not be relived of prior your return. 

Ceyx

Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Alcyone, that you would seek to carry such a burden for your husband. It pains me greatly to leave you under such weight, but the pain of my quest unfinished surpasses your womanly trepidations. It has now come time to bid thee farewell.

Alcyone

With love, Ceyx, farewell.

Ceyx exits 

Alcyone

O! what troubling happenings befall me that I might know of my husband's fate as assured as I know the steps of my father's palace. For the memories in which those steps dwell so does the recollection of those ill-fated ships and the tempests that set upon them their accursed rests. Laterally now my vigil begins as I await my husband's good return. 

(Scene 3)

A tempestuous noise of thunder and the crashing of waves heard

Enter Ceyx and a ships master, ragged and wet

Ceyx

Good master, what be our disposition? 

Master 

Not four leagues seaward, milord. The tempest hath bestowed her mark and delivered the topmast to Neptune’s depths. Our peril may lie shortly a head. In my role as master, I have not seen such a storm as this, what providence of such red lighting be, I have no indication. But if it an omen it does not speak well to our comportment.  

Ceyx

If this tempest doth deliver me upon my doom I shall meet it in good cheer. For while I wait and witness the lashing of the wind as the sea meets the sky, in my thoughts is none but Alcyone. O, most beloved to whom the augurs should esteem. Foretold of my fate I have been and a fool I shall be, until my final breath joins with the winds that assault us so. I will stand my vigil for thyself as you now do for me. At the gates of Elysium, my beloved Alcyone.   

Ceyx drowns

(Scene 4)

The palace at Thessaly

Enter Alcyone

Alcyone

I have counted these days against my husband's parting, nigh upon two fortnights hence. O most esteemed matron, queen of the heavens. I plead for thee to return my husband with much haste. 

Enter Juno unseen to Alcyone

Juno

See now this model wife, her vigil kept as a testament to her faith, such is an honorable queen. As recompense for her bereavement, I shall relive her of this task dutifully kept. My lady iris! I have need of thee. 

Enter Iris

Iris 

Hail to your ladyship, I am yours exalted Juno.

Juno

I require of you to seek out his lordship Somnus, God of Sleep, and bid him send a dream to Alcyone. 

Iris 

Alcyone, my lady? 

Juno 

Yes, Alcyone, Queen of Thessaly, widow to Ceyx. These past weeks she has kept vigil most dutifully and now I seek to reward her devotion. 

Iris 

With the word of her husband's demise?

Juno 

Indeed. Might you complete this task, messenger?

Iris 

I shall see it done, My lady.

(Scene 5)

The abode of sleep 

A deep valley in which dusky twilight wraps all in shadow

Only the gently flowing river of Lethe breaks the eternal silence

The Lord of sleep lies upon a couch dozing

Enter Iris

Iris 

My Lord, Somnus. I, Iris, messenger to her majesty Juno, come bearing with me a request from her ladyship.  

Somnus sleeps 

Iris

My Lord, I plead thee waken. Tis I, messenger to the gods.

Somnus stirs, blearily

Somnus 

What messenger you be? I recall mercury being of different constitution.

Iris

Tis not Mercury before you lord, but Iris Goddess of the rainbow messenger to her majesty Juno. 

Somnus 

Indeed, pray tell what message do you deliver?

Iris 

Her majesty bid you deliver a message. 

Somnus 

Is that not what she bid of you?

Iris 

A differing message My Lord. For thou hath dominion over sleep as I do not. 

Somnus

A dream then, delivered upon mortal ears? 

Iris 

Yes, my lord, deliver upon Alcyone the news of her husband's death with much haste as to end her vigil kept.

Somnus

Indeed lady, it shall be done. 

Iris 

I thank thee Lord, I must return now to Olympus. 

Iris makes to exit Somnus begins to drowse

Iris 

With haste My lord, it is now thine message to impart.

Somnus 

It would serve thee well to bridle such impudence Madam. For I take to this task forthwith. 

Iris

Good cheer, My lord. I must now depart. 

Iris exits

Somnus 

Morpheus, my son awaken. I require of thee a task.  

Morpheus enters

Morpheus 

What be my course, My lord Father? 

Somnus 

A message hath been sent from Her Majesty Juno which you must now impart upon its recipient Alcyone. 

Morpheus 

What manner of message, lord?

Somnus 

The demise of her husband Ceyx, whom the fates called to Elysium not two nights ayond Thessaly. Assume his visage and convey the tale.  

Morpheus 

Hail your Lordship, I shall see it done.

Morpheus bows, both exit

(scene 6)

Alcyone sleeps in the palace at Thessaly 

Enter Morpheus in the form of Ceyx ashen and wet

Morpheus

Poor wife, look your husband is here. Do you know me or is my face changed in death? I am dead, Alcyone. Your name was on my lips when the waters overwhelmed me. There is no hope left for my return. You honor my passage with your tears. Let me not journey unto Elysium unwept. 

Alcyone

Wait for me, I will go with you. 

Alcyone wakes

Alcyone

I saw him, on that very spot, so piteous he looked. He is dead and soon I shall die. Could I stay here when his dear body is tossed about in the waves? I will not leave you my husband; I will not try to live.

Alcyone exits

(scene 7)

Waves crashing gently on beach

Alcyone enters

Alcyone 

Here: I have waited, here: I have wept, and here I shall join my beloved in his eternal rest. In this life I shall find not my solace, that which can only be delivered upon my husband's return shall now have to be satisfied by my joining him in death. 

Alcyone walks into the sea and stops

Alcyone

What be this that I see coming up upon the waves? Such pale features swollen countenance, what fallen creature or rouge spirit displays itself to me? Might that be the form of a man emerging from the waves? 

Alcyone rushes to the corpse of Ceyx in the surf 

Alcyone

Oh, what horrible blessing! My beloved Ceyx returned to me in death. What cruel consummation delivers the terminus of my vigil kept. What savage jest have the gods seen fit to bestow upon me. Have I not displayed that which my heart avers? Such ministrations of devotion, of love and this be my recompense? No. This piteous joining hath no bearing over my vows. On this spot I shall continue my onus awaiting the waves which deliver my absolution.

Alcyone embraces Ceyx

Enter Juno unseen 

Juno 

Admirable wife. Devout in affection. Unto thee I offer a blessing.

Alcyone and Ceyx begin to transform amidst their embrace

The salt lacing their skin takes the form of down

They are transformed into the first of the Halcyons and take

flight across the waves

Exeunt omnes